A deity once asked the Buddha:What is good, when one is old?What is good, when established?What is a human's finest treasure?What is hard for robbers to steal?The blessed Buddha answered:Morality is good, even when one is old!Conviction is good, when firmly established!Understanding is any human's finest treasure!Merit well done is impossible for robbers to steal!

The blessed Buddha once explained:Bhikkhus, the concentration won by Awareness by Breathing, when developed and frequently cultivated, is of great fruit and results in a big advantage...And how, Bhikkhus, is concentration by Awareness by Breathing developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and advantage?Bhikkhus, when one have gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, there one sits down cross-legged, having straightened one's body and back, and set up awareness around the nostrils, then just plainly aware of that breathing itself one breathes in, & just solely aware of only that breath in itself, one breathes out...Breathing in long, one knows, notes and understands: I inhale long!Breathing out long, one knows, notes and understands: I exhale long! ... ... ... (steps 2-15) ... ... ...One trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in!One trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out!Therefore, if such friend feels a pleasant feeling, then he understands through his prior training in breathing meditation: It is impermanent; it should neither be clung to nor delighted in...If he feels a painful feeling, then he indeed also understands:It is impermanent; it should neither be clung to nor engaged in...If he feels a neutral feeling there and then he also understands:It is impermanent; it should neither be clung to nor involved in...Whether he feels a pleasant feeling, or a painful feeling, or a neutral feeling, he feels it as if detached from it, and as something remote, and alien...If he feels a feeling terminating with the body, then he understands: If feel a feeling terminating at the same time as this body...If he feels a feeling terminating with life, then he understands: I feel a feeling terminating at the same time as this life...He then understands: With the break-up of this frame of a body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, and all sensed, not being delighted in, will turn cold right there and then... Just as, bhikkhus, an oil lamp burns in dependence on the oil and the wick, and with the exhaustion of the oil and the wick the flame ceases to burn through lack of fuel, exactly so too, Bhikkhus, when such a Bhikkhu feels a feeling terminating with the body or with life... Then he understands: With the break-up of this fragile frame of a body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, all that is sensed, by not being delighted in, by not being clung to, will cool down & cease right there & then!

What is Dependent Co-origination? The condensed ultra-cut answer is:When this is present, that too is in existence.When this arises, that too emerges.

In Detail:The condition of Ignorance causes Mental Construction to arise.The condition of Mental Construction causes Consciousness to arise.The condition of Consciousness causes Name-&-Form to arise.The condition of Name-&-Form causes The 6 Senses to arise.The condition of The 6 Senses causes Contact to arise.The condition of Contact causes Feeling to arise.The condition of Feeling causes Craving to arise.The condition of Craving causes Clinging to arise.The condition of Clinging causes Becoming to arise.The condition of Becoming causes Birth to arise.The condition of Birth causes Ageing, Decay & Death to arise.The condition of Ageing, Decay & Death causes Pain to arise...Such is the arising of this entire immense mass of Suffering!!!This is called the Wrong Way ...

This is Dependent Co-origination!A chain of conditioned effects, that each causes new events to occur!

The Grace of Goodwill: A Meditation on Friendliness (Metta):May my mind be filled with the thought of Kind Friendliness & open Amity.May the minds of my good teachers be filled with the thought of Friendliness.May the minds of my parents and dear ones be filled with the thought of Friendliness.May the minds of all unfriendly persons be filled with the thought of Friendliness.May the minds of all living beings be filled with the thought of Friendliness.May the minds of all strangers be filled with the thought of Friendliness.May we be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness.May our hearts become soft. May our words be pleasing to others.May we be generous. May we be gentle. May we be relaxed. May we be happy and peaceful. May we be healthy.May we be a source of pure peace and happiness.

May the minds of everyone in this room be free from greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, and fear.May the peace and tranquillity of tender Friendliness pervade their entire bodies and minds.May they have good fortune. May they be prosperous. May they have really good friendsMay the minds of everyone in this building, in this street, in this city, in this nation on this continent, on this planet & in this universe be free from greed, anger, & doubt.May these thoughts of Friendliness embrace them, charge them and envelope them.May every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, be charged with kind amity.May the peace & tranquillity of goodwill pervade their entire bodies & minds.May they be happy-hearted. May they be free from worries and troubles.May all beings in all directions throughout this multiverse be happy.May they be filled with Friendliness, abundant, exalted, & infinite!May they be free from enmity affliction, and anxiety.May they live happily.

May all beings in all directions, all around the universe be happy.May they have good fortune. May they be prosperous.May they be famous. May they have good friends.May they be reborn in a happy destination.May they be reborn in the heavens.May all beings Awaken swiftly!May they become thus Happy!

The Buddha on the Universality of Friendliness:Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta. May all beings become thus Happy!

I am a friend of all bipeds;I am a friend of those with four feet,I am a friend of the many-footed,I am a friend of those with no feet!Anguttara Nikaya 4.67

One thinks: 'May these beings be free from animosity,free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease! Anguttara Nikaya 5

The absence of hate, hating, hatred, the absence of anger, and any malignity, and the presence of love, friendly kindness, gentle disposition, tender care, forbearance, genuine considerateness; seeking the general good for all, compassion this is the very root of good behaviour. Dhammasangani

As I am, so are others... As others are, so am I...Having thus identified self and others,Never Harm anyone, nor have any being abused.Sutta Nipata 3.710

Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived in the jungle. No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone.Uplifted by such universal friendliness, I enjoyed the forest.Finding great solace in such sweetly silenced solitude…Suvanna-sama Jataka 540

With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart & mind:Beaming above, below, & all around, unobstructed, without trace of hostility.Sutta Nipata I, 8

Hurricane/Tzunami preparedness

Train yourself in doing goodthat lasts and brings happiness.Cultivate generosity, the life of peace, and a mind of infinite universal love.Itivuttaka 22

The Buddha once explained how to wander appropriately in this world:Having rooted out omens, symbols, tokens, dreams and signs, such bhikkhu, will wander properly in this world. Having dispelled his passion for sensual pleasures, both human and divine. Having gone beyond all renewed becoming.Having understood the Dhamma doctrine, he would wander properly in thisworld. Having put slander, anger and meanness behind him, and with bothcompliance and opposition completely relinquished, he wanders worthy here.Having abandoned both the pleasant and the unpleasant, not clinging, not dependent upon anything, completely released from all the mental confines, one will wander rightly in this world. Having dispelled all passion and desire for attachments and acquisitions void of essence, independent, not to be led by others, he would wander properly in the world. Not opposing anyoneor anything neither mentally, verbally or physically, longing for the state of quenching, neither wounding, nor binding others, without thorns or doubts,one can wander smoothly in this world. Knowing that only harmlessness issuitable for himself, with the roots of hate, greed & ignorance rooted out, being without any inclination, latent tendency or mental fermentation, hewould wander properly in this world. Convinced, learned, seeing this 1 way, not following any faction among the groups, sects, or families, quite wise, having eliminated both favouritism and aversion, victoriously purified, farfamed, mastering all mental phenomena, gone to the far shore, without lust, skilled in ceasing all activity, he will wander silenced, all quiet in this world.Discerning events both past and future, entirely released from all sensing, knowing the state of peace, self-controlled, having razed all accumulation,he would wander perfectly in any world... Sn 360-375

These eight things, friends, when developed and cultivated lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their ultimate destination, have Nibbana as their final goal! What eight?

1: Right View 2: Right Motivation3: Right Speech4: Right Action5: Right Livelihood6: Right Effort7: Right Awareness8: Right Concentration

Friends, true knowledge is initiating all advantageous states, with a sense of shame and fear of wrongdoing coming after! For a clever person, who has arrived at such true knowledge, right view emerges. For one of right view, right motivation improves. For one of right motivation, right speech evolves. For one of right speech, right action springs up. For one of right action, right livelihood comes into being. For one of right livelihood, right effort arises. For one of right effort, right awareness appears. For one of right Awareness, right Concentration develops.Friends, this is the sign and precursor for arising of the sun: dawn! So too, friends, for a person, this is the sign and precursor for the arising of the Noble 8-fold Way, that is, Good & Noble Friendship! When a person has a Good Noble Friend, it is to be expected that he will develop and cultivate this Noble 8-fold Way... And how does a person, who has a good friend develop & cultivate this Noble 8-fold Way? Here, friends, a person develops right view,right motivation, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness, and right concentration, which has as its final goal the complete elimination of all greed, the full eradication of all hate, and the final luminous ceasing of all ignorance...

Sariputta once said to the Buddha:It is to be expected, Venerable Sir, that any Noble Disciple who has faith, who has aroused energy & established awareness, and who is concentrated, will understand reality thus: This Samsara is without discoverable beginning!Any first point for beings roaming & wandering on, blinded by ignorance and bound by craving cannot ever be seen! But what can indeed be experiencedis the traceless fading and ceasing of ignorance, this massive of darkness: That is the peaceful state, that is the supreme state ... that is, the stilling of all mental construction, the relinquishment of all acquisition, the elimination of all craving, complete disenchanting disillusion, final ceasing, Nibbana! That unique comprehension of his is rooted in his ability to understand Sir! And, Venerable Sir, when he has strived again and again along this very way, repeatedly recollected in that way, again & again concentrated his mind in exactly this way, over and over again understood only this in this very way, then that Noble Disciple gains complete faith thus: Regarding things that I previously had only heard about, now I dwell having contacted them with my body, and having perforated them by understanding; I now see and directly experience! That conviction, Venerable Sir, is his ability of faith working... Good, good. Sariputta! Noted the Buddha...

The Buddha said:"So few as these only, are these supreme mental qualities, which culminatesin Awakening. There is nothing elsewhere beyond them! Be thorough, firm and systematic to complete them all..."

These 10 mental perfections can be developed to three levels:I: Those who awakens as disciples = Savaka-Bodhis give all possessions awayincluding wife and kids to perfect generosity. Similar level with the 9 other perfections...

II: Those who awakens as Solitary Buddhas = Pacceka-Buddhas give an organ, limb or eye away to perfect generosity. Similar level with the 9 other perfections...

III: Those who awakens as Perfect Buddhas = Sammasam-Buddhas give even their own life away to perfect generosity. Similar level with the 9 other metal perfections...

The basic perfection of generosity is the relinquishing of one's children, wives, and belongings, such as wealth. The intermediate perfection of giving is the relinquishing of one's own limbs. The ultimate perfection of giving is the relinquishing of one's own life. The 3 stages in the perfection of morality should be understood as the non-transgression of morality on account of the three: children and wife, limbs, and life. The three stages in the perfection of withdrawal, as the withdrawal of those three bases after cutting off attachment to them. The 3 perfections of understanding, as the discrimination between what is advantageous or detrimental to beings after rooting out craving for one's belongings, limbs, and life. The three stages in the perfection of energy, as striving for the relinquishing of these 3things.The three stages in the perfection of patience, as tolerance to obstacles to one's belongings, limbs, and life. The 3 stages of perfection of Honesty, as the non-abandoning of honesty due to one's belongings, limbs, and life.The 3 stages of perfection of determination, as unshakeable determination despite the destruction of one's belongings, limbs, & life, bearing in mind that perfections ultimately succeed through a unflinching determination!The three stages in the perfection of friendliness, as the maintaining of friendliness towards any one, who destroys one's belongings! The 3 stages in the perfection of equanimity, as maintaining an attitude of imperturbableimpartial neutrality towards all beings and phenomena, whether they are helpful or harmful in regard to ones belongings, limbs, and life. In this way should the analysis of the mental perfections be understood.

I am a friend and helper to all,I am sympathetic to all living beings.I develop a mind full of loveand takes always delight in harmlessness.I gladden my mind, fill it with joy,and make it immovable and unshakable.I develop the divine states of mindnot cultivated by simple men. Theragatha. 648-9

I am a friend of the footless,I am a friend of the bipeds;I am a friend of those with four feet,I am a friend of the many-footed.May not the footless harm me,may not the bipeds harm me,may not those with four feet harm me,and may not those with many feet harm me.AN II 72

Thus he who both day and nighttakes delight in harmlessnesssharing love with all that live,finds enmity with none. Samyutta Nikaya. I 208

When one with a mind of lovefeels compassion for the entire worldabove, below and across,unlimited everywhere. Jataka 37

Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived on the wood. No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone.Uplifted by such universal friendliness I enjoyed the forest.Finding great solace in silent yet friendly solitude. Suvanna-sama Jataka 540

The Blessed Buddha once said:Bhikkhus & friends: There is one contemplation, which when often practised and developed leads to a complete turning away from this captivating world, to detachment, to silencing, to ceasing, to Peace, to penetrating knowledge, to Enlightenment, and thus to Nibbana...Any Noble Disciple, who by progress have understood this Dhamma, dwells frequently in this state. Which is that unique contemplation?The Noble Disciple contemplates on the divine beings in this very way: There are the divine beings on the plane of the Four Great Kings, there arethe divine beings of the World of the Thirty-three, there are a Yama World, there are the Contented Devas, there are also those enjoying own creation! There are those with power over others creations, those of the Brahma world, and those still far above them... Now, such faith, morality, wisdom, generosity, concentration and understanding, which these divine beings acted upon and which made them re-appear on a divine plane after leaving this world, such good qualities as these, are also found in me! When a Noble Disciple reflects thus, his mind is neither obsessed by any greed, nor by any hate, nor by any confusion! Uplifted and elated is his mind, and this makes the Noble Disciple gain further deeper understanding of the Dhamma, & thus makes the Noble Disciple delight in the Dhamma! Being delighted, there arises rapturous joy in him. Being filled with rapture & joy, he is inwardly satisfied & he becomes quite calm. Being calmed makes him enjoy bliss and happiness and the mind of the Happy One becomes collected, condensed and concentrated... Of this Noble Disciple, friends, it is said that among many misguided humans, among suffering humankind, he lives freed from suffering! And as one who has entered the stream to Nibbana, he cultivates further his contemplation. When, friends, a Noble Disciple has reached the fruit of understanding the Dhamma, he dwells often with a calm smile in this state! Source: AN 6:10

Sakka king of the 33 devas, hovering about with some of his many nymphs. A devata = goddess

Many devas can attain whatever form and colour at will. Some is made of light!They do not like the smell of humans like we don't like the smell of eg. pigs…There are 31 levels of existence (Human is level 5!). There thus numerous devas.http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... /loka.html

For self is the master of self.For self is the protector of self.For self is the saviour of self.Control therefore yourself by taming,as one who has bought a new horse.Dhammapada 380

Full of Joy, content & satisfied, the Noble friendwith perfect confidence in the Teaching of the Buddha,will reach the place of Peace, the unconditionallyunconditioned sameness of Free Open Happiness itself ...Dhammapada 381

1: Review the Danger in Cruelty like this: This can bring me to a bad destination, the downfall, to pain, even to hell!This is a path of thorns, an evil way, a dark state, conflict, violence, pain!

2: How does a friend dwell pervading all with his heart endued with pity? Just as he would feel pity on seeing an unlucky, unfortunate person, so he pervades all beings with infinite pity. Therefore first of all he imagines a poor man, unlucky, unfortunate, in every way a fit object for pity, ugly, reduced to utter misery, with hands and feet cut off, sitting in the shelter for the helpless, with an empty pot in front of him, with maggots oozing from sores on hands and legs, moaning, infinite pity should be felt for him in this way: 'This being has been reduced to utter misery! If he just could be freed from this misery...' Then later one can arouse the same pity and compassion for a neutral person and later for even a wrong-doing person! This is the complete mastery of pity: Compassion even with the Evil One!

3: All wrong doing is caused by blindness: A real pity for the wrong-doers!All wrong-doers will thus suffer immensely in the future. How sad for them!

4: Begin and Cultivate meditation on Infinite pity:Sit down a silent, empty place with closed eyes & beam this from the heart:May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating awareness of pity.May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating examination of pity.May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating energetic pity.May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating joyous infinite pity.May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating stilled infinite pity.May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating concentrated pity.May I & all beings be free from cruelty by cultivating imperturbable pity.Beaming first out in front, then right, left, down below and also up above:May all beings live happily and free from suffering, pain and frustration. May all beings be free from hate, cruelty, mercilessness & revengefulness!

One who is virtuous and wiseShines like a blazing fire;Like a bee collecting nectarHe acquires wealth by harming none!Digha Nikaya III, 188

May all breathing creatures, all living things,All beings, every one without exception,Experience good fortune only!May they not fall into harm.Anguttara Nikaya II, 72

Solitude is happiness for one who is content,Who has heard the Dhamma and clearly sees.Non-violence is happiness in the worldHarmlessness towards all living beings.Udana 10

JOYOh let us live happily! Freed from all cruelty!Living even among those, who always flames by hate!Among those dominated by anger, let us live free from anger! Dhammapada 197

When Buddhism was first established in ancient India, there were few monks and nuns.These monks normally did not stay in fixed places or temples but rather spent most of theirtime moving from one place to another as it was their mission to spread the teachings of theBuddha for the happiness and welfare of all people and living beings.

In those days, there were no paved roads, so during the rainy season when the countryexperienced heavy and frequent rainfall, their travels were often impeded and interrupted.In this season, the farmers also cultivated their land and planted new crops.

Because travel was inconvenient, The Buddha allowed his disciples to stop wandering andtake up temporary abodes during the rainy season.

In Pali, this season is called vassa, meaning the "Rains Retreat" and it extends for threelunar months. It begins on the 15th day of the waxing moon of the 8th Lunar Month, andends on the 15th day of the waxing moon of the 11th Lunar Month.

This corresponds approximately from early July through late of October in the Gregoriancalendar. In this year, 2012, the Rains Retreat started on July 3rd, and ends on October29th.

Historical Background:About four or five years after attaining Enlightenment, the Buddha was dwelling atJetavana Mahã Vihãra near Sãvatthi City, the capital of the Kosala kingdom ruled by KingPasenadi.

A group of thirty monks who had been ordained by the Buddha himself came from Sãketcity east of Sãvathi just after the three months Rains Retreat Observance to visit theBuddha. The Buddha greeted them, asked them about their retreat and journey, and noticedtheir wet and torn robes. The lady disciple of the Buddha, Visakha Mahã Upãsikã was alsothere visiting and listening to the Buddha expounds the Dhamma. When she saw the monks intattered and worn robes, she asked permission of the Buddha to offer new robes to themonks, and the Buddha granted her request. Since then the Buddha granted the monks theopportunity to search for robes in various places and even to accept robes offered bydonors during the period of one month from the middle of the Eleventh Lunar Month to themiddle of the Twelfth Lunar Month. This period is called Kathina.

As there were no sewing machines or textile factories in those days, the preparation ofrobes for monks required a lot of manpower and coordination. It could not be done in asingle day.

The Buddha realized this problem and allowed his lay disciples to prepare and make robesfor any monks who needed them. The process required searching for appropriate cloth,washing it, cutting it, sewing the pieces together into robes, coloring the robes, and dryingthem. After that, the robes were distributed to the monks who needed them with theconsent of the Sangha, the community of the Monks.

At Present:Nowadays, lay followers prepare robes for the monks but not in the same way as it wasdone in the time of the Buddha. They are two ways in which monks may obtain robes, namely:(1). by searching for them in various places like cemeteries, cities, and towns, or (2) byaccepting offerings of robes from the people.

The Kathina ceremony takes place during the month immediately following the full moon dayof October (from the beginning of waning moon of the Eleventh Lunar Month to thebeginning of waxing moon of the Twelfth Lunar Month).

According to Vinaya Pitaka, the Theravada Book of Discipline, during the three monthperiod from mid-July to mid-October, monks are required to take up a settled residenceand are allowed to leave their encampments only under special conditions.

In this environment, the wandering mendicant nature of the Buddhist monk began to change.In particular, a number of customs and practices of a collective life, including therecitation of rules and the distribution of robes, became incorporated into the annual cycleof monastic life.

These ceremonies have continued through the ages and have evolved from culture to culture.The traditions of Theravada Buddhism spread throughout Southeast Asia as Buddhism wonthe favor of ruling monarchs in Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Theravada Buddhismexpanded greatly in Thailand under the patronage of King Ramkhamhaeng.

Today in Thailand, the Kathina ceremony provides one of the most popular occasions formerit-making. The Buddhist people celebrate this robe- offering ceremony with profoundrespect and devotion to the monks, who have just spent three months in the monasteryobserving the Vassã (Khao Pansã in the Thai, Lao, and Cambodian languages) –the RainsRetreat. In rural Thailand, everybody in a village will participate in the Kathina ceremony asa community activity which may last anywhere from one day to as many as three days.

All Buddhist monks and fully ordained nuns in all parts of the world observe the RainsRetreat during this period, though in certain countries the custom has been modified.Buddhist monks in Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, Burma, and Sri Lanka however continue toobserve the Rains Retreat in the traditional Theravada way.

The author has proposed the idea to the American Buddhist Congress of shifting theobservance of the Rains Retreat to occur from December to March in North America. TheAmerican Buddhist Congress has found the idea appealing, but such a change would requireapproval by senior monks from the Thai Sangha.

Why have I proposed this idea? Because during this period North America experiencesheavy snow and bad winter weather which makes it very difficult for monks to travel andperform their missionary duties of spreading the Dhamma to all living beings.

Among the Buddhist of Southeast Asia, there is a very grand festival at the end of theobservance of the Rains Retreat. People offer food to the monks in monasteries andprepare the special yellow robes that are offered to the Sangha.

This special offering is called the Kathina Offering Ceremony. It is done only during theperiod of time starting from the end of Rains Retreat to the first day of the waning moonof the 12th Lunar Month, as previously mentioned.

Benefits of Kathina Offering:1. Monks who receive the offerings and the members of the Sangha, can go from places toplace for their Dhamma works and meditation practice without needing to inform any monkin the monastery.

2. Monks do not need to carry a complete set of robes when they go anywhere to carry outtheir religious duties.

3. Monks can have their breakfast and lunch in different places offered by differentdonors without breaking their monastic rules (Vinaya).

4. They can keep other robes according to their wishes for more than ten days withoutbreaking monastic rules.

5. The robes offered to them by donors are suitable and good for them, so they can extendtheir time to search for another set of robes for four months through out fall and winter.

6. The Buddhist followers support and help the monks to maintain the Buddhist teachingsand tradition for world peace.

7. Those who support the Monks and the Sangha are always happy, joyful, and wealthy.

8. They promote Buddhist Teachings in Western society where people are Seeking Spiritualfood for their hearts, and need spiritual and moral training.

9. The Monks have no worry about searching for cloth to make their robes, and in this waythey have more time to concentrate on their Dhamma study and meditation practice, andcan serve more people in their communities.

11. The donors follow the noble way of life and maintain a humane society on thisplanet. They are the source of peace and happiness for the world.

Where is Kathina Ceremony observed?The Kathina ceremony is observed by Buddhist people in all parts of the world, not only inthe Asian countries, but also in European countries such as the United States of America,Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Change:According to Buddhist tradition, the robes prepared on this occasion were usually offeredto the Monks who had old and torn robes which were insufficient to protect themselves.

The robes were made by the "Sangha", under the idea of coordination collaboration,harmony, and participation in religious and monastic service.

The process of making the robes was completed in one day, beginning with making the cloth,cutting, sewing, washing, coloring, drying, and organizing it into a set of three. Then, withagreement of the Sangha, the robes were offered to the monks through the ceremony. TheKathina Ceremony therefore is a community activity that needs to be performed in aharmonious way.

This is the Buddha’s idea of collaboration and harmony, of care and the loving way of thecompassionate heart for community and social development and for human society as awhole. Buddha Vihara, the Midwest Buddhist Meditation Center as a new community needscoordination, collaboration and harmony, (Sukha Sanghassa Samaghi Samaghanang TapoSukho. Harmonious activity of the community is the source of happiness).

FEVER BURNINGThose absorbed in such accusations as:"He/she/they abused, hurt, did me or us wrong "whether right or wrong!, such foolish ones only prolong own pain by being obsessed and thus possessed by their own anger.However!Those freed of all these accusations:"He/she/they abused, hurt, did me or us wrong "just plainly noting: "Whether right or wrong, so what!"such clever ones stop own pain by relinquishing all anger.Dhammapada 3+4

FUEL ON FIRE?Not by anger is Hate ever quenched.Only by Kindness is Hate always quenched.This Ancient Law is an eternal & absolute Truth ... !Dhammapada 5

Comments:What good does any accusation, whether right or wrong, do to anybody? Nothing! On the contrary: It scorches mind from inside, inflames ill-will, and infects all with hot-headed hate! In short: The way to the Downfall!

Hate brings great misfortune..Hate churns up and harms the mind!This fearful danger deep within own mindmost beings do not understand at all..Itivuttaka 84

Once in Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this: Bhikkhus, these four things when developed, cultivated and refined lead: to the Noble Fruit of Stream-Entry (Sotapatti-phala)... to the Noble Fruit of Once-Return (Sakadagami-phala)...to the Noble Fruit of Non-Return (Anagami-phala)...to the Noble Fruit of Arahat-ship (Arahatta-phala)...to absolutely True Understanding...to comprehensive Understanding... to expanding Understanding... to extensive Understanding... to elevated Understanding...to deep Understanding... to wide Understanding... to vast Understanding... to rich Understanding... to quick Understanding... to joyous Understanding... to buoyant Understanding... to sweeping Understanding... to unequalled Understanding... to razor-sharp Understanding... to profound penetrating Wisdom...to incisive transcendent Breakthrough!What four? 1: Friendship with excellent persons, 2: Learning the true Dhamma, 3: Careful and rational attention,4: Praxis in accordance with the Dhamma.These and the 4 factors of Stream-Entry lead to this pervasive fruition!

The Blessed Buddha once said:Bhikkhus, when the 7 Links to Awakening have been developed, completed and refined, the winning of the seven fruits is indeed to be expected. What are the benefits of these 7 fruits?

They are, either:1: One attains final knowledge early in this very life. Or:2: One attains final knowledge at the moment of death. Or: Having destroyed the five lower chains and spontaneously re-arisen;3: One attains Nibbana in the first half of the life as a divine brahma. Or:4: One attains Nibbana in the second half of the life in these pure abodes. Or:5: One attains Nibbana as a Noble non-returner without effort. Or: 6: One attains Nibbana as a Noble non-returner with some effort. Or:7: One is bound upstream, surely heading towards the highest Akanittha realm.When, bhikkhus, these Seven Links to Awakening have been thoroughly developed and cultivated exactly in this way, these seven fruits & benefits may be expected....

When sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes one wishes:May I radiate and meet only never-ending and mutually rejoicing joy!May I & all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop and findonly celebration and elation in a never-ending mutually rejoicing joy!May I & all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, and the formless plane develop and encounter this generous, infinite and mutually rejoicing joy!May I & all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left, and below as above, develop and experience openhearted, sharing, & mutually rejoicing joy!May I and all beings within this city, country, planet and universe always: Be fully aware and deeply mindful of this content and mutually rejoicing joy!Examine all details & aspects of this satisfied and mutually rejoicing joy!Put enthusiastic effort in our praxis of this devoted mutually rejoicing joy!Enjoy enraptured jubilant gladness in this exulting mutually rejoicing joy!Be silenced by the tranquillity of quiet and all smiling mutually rejoicing joy!Be concentrated & absorbed into one-pointedness by genuine rejoicing joy!Dwell in an imperturbable equanimity of pure and mutually rejoicing joy...Yeah! May it be even so, since mutual joy causes the jewel of contentment!

Comment: Mutual Joy is the 3rd infinite mental state (Appamañña):This gradually reduces all envy, jealousy, possessiveness, stinginess, avaricemiserliness, green covetousness and unhappiness related with all these states.The cause of Mutual Joy in rejoicing in your child's or boon companion's success. This same joy can then be beamed towards all liked, neutral and hostile beings.Mutual Joy is then the proximate cause of satisfied and fulfilled Contentment...Lack of mutual joy is thus the proximate cause of dissatisfied discontentment...Joined with the 7 links to Awakening it will later cause a formless jhana...Be happy at all and especially other being's success! Then calm comfort grows!